The quality of seagrass as a dugong food resource: the importance of the effects of season and water depth

海草作为儒艮食物资源的质量：季节和水深影响的重要性。澳大利亚有保护儒艮（海牛）的国际义务。儒艮以海草为食。如果儒艮养护工作要有必要的科学依据，那么了解海草的数量和质量以及海草如何随环境变化至关重要。研究的重点是将潮间带海草作为儒艮的食物。然而，深水海草是大多数重要儒艮种群的支柱，例如昆士兰州赫维湾的种群。这项研究将提供有关季节和水深对作为儒艮食物的海草质量的影响的信息。

The quality of seagrass as a dugong food resource: the importance of the effects of season and water depth. Australia has international obligations to conserve dugongs (sea cows). Dugongs rely on seagrasses for food. Knowledge of the abundance and quality of seagrasses, and how these change in response to the environment, is vital if dugong conservation is to have the necessary scientific basis. Research has focussed on intertidal seagrass as food for dugongs. However, deepwater seagrasses are a mainstay of most significant dugong populations, such as the population in Hervey Bay, Queensland. This research will provide information on the effect of season and water depth on the quality of seagrasses as dugong food.